Continuously-flowing display device



May 5, 1925. 1,536,188

E. A. BROWN CONTINUOUSLY FLOWING DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnaw Mo's EARL A. Ego'wN.

May 5, 1925. 1,536,188

E. A. BROWN CONTINUOUSLY FLOWING DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2g 1 2 W N 7 3 o o my" I? M 7 1 h I V I I V 6a gwuenfoz E Am A. BROWN ful Improvements in Continuously-Flowing.

Patented May 5,' 1 925. V

T ummsmms PATE T- oer-"1cm;-

EARL .A. BROWN, OF -WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF i 'con rmtr'onsLY-nowme msr'nur' DEVICE.

Application filed January 5, 19%. Serial No. 731.

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, EARL A. BROWN, c1t1- zen of the United States of America, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and use- Display Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention novel display device and is particularly designed for exhibition purposes for use in display windows of b1181- ness places, show rooms, and the hke. The invention provides an improved display device creating the illusion of a vessel of limited size continuously dispensing fluid into a relatively smaller vessel which never overflows, while the fluid in the dispensing vessel is never replenished and never becomes exhausted.

In particular the invention provides a novel self-contained device which can be readily moved from place to place; novel connections between the fluid dispenslng and receiving vessels; novel means for regulating the flow of the liquid; novel means for preventing the dripping of any drops of fluid from the mouth of the dispensing vessel; and novel means. for returning the l1q uid to the dispensing vessel. Minor objects of the invention and novel features thereof will be hereinafter set'forth.

Devices of. this class which have been manufactured heretofore have been designed for use in connection with a relatively small mouthed dispensing vessel or bottle. Such devices become inoperative when used with a wide mouthed bottle in that they fail to completely produce the desired illu- I sion. It is a particular object of this invention to provide an improved device which is especially designed for the display of con .tinuously flowing milk, and which uses a wide mouthed bottle of the milk bottle type as a dispensing vessel. I

The accompanying drawings illustrate one ractical embodiment of the invention, whic will be described in detail to enable others to understand and use the same, but the invention is not considered restricted to the specific construction shown in the draw ings, reference being made to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention and of the novelfeatures of. construction and novel combinations of parts for all of which protectionis desired.

has a downwar k In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the complete device in operation.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the complete device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the mouth of the dispensing vessel. V

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the l1ne 44"*of Figure 3."

As shown in the drawings the operative parts of the device are placed in a suitable housingor casing which may be of any desired exterior form or finish, that shown being preferred. The casing as shown comprises a box-like member 1 substantially rectangular in shape and has a pair of socket bearings 1 fastened on its u per surface as by screws or the like, for tl ie reception of the downwardly de ending arms 2" of a U shaped frame 2. A justably mounted on the frame 2 at a point adjacent the center thereof is a bracket 2 securely held in any desired position b the bolt 2". The bracket y depending ortion 2 with a slot'2 formed therein for t e reception of a bolt 2. A rod 2 is on the bracket 2 for a purpose to be hereinafter-more fully described by-means of the clip 2 through which the bolt 2 passes.

It can be readily seen that by loosening the bolt 2' the rod 2 can be adjusted lo itudinally of the clip 2 and the clip can e adjusted angularly or vertically in the slot 2, thereby producin any desired angular relationship between tie rod and the frame 2.

Adjustably suspended from the rod 2 by any desired means is the fluid dispensing vessel or bottle 3. As shown in the drawings there are mounted on the bottle adjacent the adjustably mounted a that any adjustment of the rod correspondingly adjusts the bottle 3, thereby varying the flow of the fluid therefrom as desired.

Properly positioned within an aperture in" the top of the box 1 is a liquid receiving vessel or glass 4. This glass is preferably formed with a circular opening in the bottom thereof in whicli'a rubber plug or cork the lower portion of the cork mout snugly fitting within the aperture in the box. The lass is so located with respect to the g of the fluid dispensing vessel, that the stream of liquid flowing therefrom falls directly into the said glass.

An overflow tube 5, preferably of lass, is positioned in a suitable aperture in t e cork and communicates with a tank 6 within the box 1. A second aperture is formed in the cork for the reception of a particularly conformed return tube 7 also preferably of glass, which extends from a point within the box 1 up through the glass 4 and into the mouth of the bottle 3.

Suitably located within the box 1 is a pump P having the usual inlet and outlet connections 22 and 39 respectively. The pump may be operate by any desired means, as by the motor M, see Figure 2. The tank 6 is provided at a point ad acent the bottom thereof with an outlet 6 which directly connects with the inlet of the pump, being rigidly fastened or soldered therein. The outlet 2 of the pump connects directly with the lower end of the return tube 7 by means of a piece of flexible rubber tubing 7.

It will thus be seen that in the operation of the device, liquid flowing from the bottle 3 falls into the glass 4, passes therethrough into the tank 6 and thence into the pump P from which it is pumped into the return tube 7 and forced back into the bottle 3 as shown by the arrows (see Figure 2). The return tube 7 is so shaped that it will conform exactly to the trajectory of the falling liquid, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, and will be entirely hidden therein. To conceal any movement of fluid within the bottle 3, the bottle is painted, to a point adjacent the mouth thereof as illustrated by the dotted line L (see Figure 1), a color closely resembling the color of the fluid used, in the present instance white.

This paint may be applied as desired to either the interior or the exterior of the bottle; it will thus be seen that the contrast between the relatively small unpainted portion of the bottle and the edge of the painted portion thereof presents a line tangential to the stream of flowing liquid; this line being representative of the liquid level within the bottle.

There is thus created the illusion of liquid continuously and serenely flowin from the bottle; the return and overflow tu es being entirely concealed within the stream of flowing liquid and the liquid in the glass.

In ractice it has been found that there is ten ency of drops of the fluid to adhere to the edge of themouth of the bottle and to drip therefrom. To overcome this a lip 3 also painted to resemble the fluid used, is snugly fitted within the mouth of the bottle so as to project a short distance therebeyond, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This lip becomes invisible in the stream of flowing liquid and prevents the dripping above referred to.

At the point where the stream of liquid breaks over the edge of the mouth of the bottle, and before the said stream attains its falling width and trajectory; is found the highest degree of visibility. It has been found in the use of wide mouthed bottles as dispensing vessels that at this point, where the stream of liquid is narrowed by contact with the bottle, the upper surface of the return tube becomes visible; thereby destroying the illusion created. To effectively prevent this visibility the tube 7 is formed with a flattened portion 7 located at the immediate point where the said tube enters the mouth of the bottle. This flattened ortion reduces the width of the tube at the gneaking point of the stream of flowing liquid and effectively insures against the danger of visibility at that point. There is also thus created a greater space in the mouth of the bottle for the ingoing and outgoing of air displaced therein.

As shown in the drawings the tank 6 is formed with an inturned flange 6". The

urpose of this flange is to direct any bubflles or foam formed within the tank toward the center thereof and away from the outlet 6. It has been found that when such bubbles occur, the majority thereof will burst on contact with the said flange; thereby reducing the possibility of any air passing into the pump and thence being forced upward into the bottle.

If desired a suitable rheostat (not shown) may be placed in circuit with the motor and pump to more closely regulate the speed of the pump with respect to the stream of flowing liquid.

The illusion thus created is interesting and completely mystifying to the inexperienced eye; the color of the li uid used in no Way affecting the invisibility of the sources of overflow and return.

The display device thus described is compact, being self contained requires no setting up, and may be readily and conveniently moved about from place to place.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed is.

1. In a display device the combination of a fluid containing vessel in dispensing posit-ion, a fluid receiving vessel, a tube passing through said fluid receiving vessel upward into the fluid containing vessel, means for forcing fluid through said tube into the fluid containing vessel, said tube being bent so as to conform to the trajectory of liquid flowing from the fluid containing vessel and being completely hidden therein, and the said tube having a flattened portion at the point where it enters the mouth of the fluid containing vessel.

2. In a display device the combination of a fluid containing vessel in dispensingpm sition, a fluid receiving vessel, a tube passing through said fluid receiving vessel upward into the fluid containing vessel, a lip tube having a flattened portion at the point where it enters the mouth taining vessel.

3. In a display device the combination of a casing, a fluid containing vessel adj ustably mounted in dispensing position upon said casing, a fluid receiving vessel mounted upon and communicating with the casing, means of the fluid confor conveying fluid therefrom to a secondary fluid receiving tank within the casing, a tube passin upward through the fluid receiving vessel into the fluid containing vesselysaid tube being bent so as toconform to the trajectory of liquid flowing from the fluid con taining vessel and being completely hidden therein, the said tube having a flattened portion at the point where it enters the mouth of the fluid containing vessel, a lip within the mouth of the fluid containing vessel directing the-stream offlowing liquid away from the edge of said mouth, and, means within the casing for removing fluid from the secondary receiving tank and forcing said fluid up through the tube into the fluid containing vessel. g

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signa ture. i

EABL A. BROWN. 

